Role reversal as Houllier goes on the offensive

The Liverpool manager wants his rejuvenated team to take the game to Manchester United when the old rivals clash today, says Jonathan Northcroft

GERARD HOULLIER expects a familiar pattern at Anfield today. One team will get the ball and seek, while the other will hide and hope to break. But roles may be reversed from previous encounters.

Liverpool, so long the mouse, will be the cat, while Manchester United will be the side sneaking away for cover. In this way Houllier hopes for better fortune than he experienced last season, when United won the fixture home and away in the League for the first time since 1996-97.

The Frenchman has encouraged his players to be more expansive, and believes that despite mixed results, the team’s performances have justified his decision to dispense with one of his two holding midfielders and commit an extra man in support of Michael Owen and Emile Heskey. Harry Kewell has been this player. The Australian, alongside Steve Finnan, and to a lesser extent Florent Sinama-Pongolle and Anthony Le